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Mayor Jules Pipe, the Chair of London Councils and Mayor of Hackney, told the London Assembly that the Government's plans to cut housing benefits have not stopped rents being increased over the last 18 months.

The London Assembly has heard that councils have a limited pot of money to provide relief for tenants who face losing housing benefit because they have a spare bedroom. Some tenants are eligible for some extra money if they can prove they need the spare room.

However, Geoff Fimister of Citizen's Advice told the Assembly members that councils' relief is limited so they may not be able to provide relief to all the eligible cases.

Conservative members of the London Assembly walked out of a meeting at City Hall this morning after the Chair Jennette Arnold refused to let one of them ask a question about Labour's policy on welfare changes.

The Assembly was questioning Kate Bell of the Child Poverty Action Group about the welfare reforms but Ms Arnold felt that a question from Conservative member Andrew Boff was inappropriate because it made a political point.

Opposition parties on the London Assembly are expected to gang-up on Boris Johnson tomorrow in a historic bid to try to overturn his plans for fare increases and fire station closures.

For the first time, Labour, Lib Dem and Green assembly members are expected to agree a joint amendment to the mayor's draft budget

City Hall, where the London Assembly will meet. Credit: PA

The move requires a majority vote andis likely to be successful if at least 13 members of the 25-strong assembly joinforces.

However the mayor is unlikely to be troubled by the tactic - his original budget is expected to be approved at another meeting on February 25th when the opposition will be unable to muster the required majority of two thirds.

Boris Johnson's Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh has made his first public appearance in front of the London Assembly, since being warned over claims that he acted "inappropriately" towards a female colleague.

London's Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh has issued an apology after he was accused of behaving inappropriately to a female employee in a City Hall lift. Mr Greenhalgh said he was not admitting he was guilty but was apologising for the distress that the incident had caused.

A Greater London Authority monitoring officer has interviewed the employee but decided not to take action against Mr Greenhalgh as there was no conclusive evidence. However, Mayor Boris Johnson said he had spoken to his deputy about inappropriate conduct in City Hall.